Trench-sheeting.



PATENTED JAN. 22, 1907.-

A. W. FITZGERALD.

TRBNGH SHEETI'NG.

APPLIOATION FILED MAR. 15, 1906.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

555; Illllll' um/Mozworn amp vide sheeting UNITED STATES PATENT orrron.

TR-ENCH- SHEETING.

Application filed March 15,

T 0 all/Z whom/ it mm/7] concern:

Beit known that I, ALBERT W. FITZGER- ALD, acitizen of the UnitedStates, residing I at Terre Haute, in the county ofVigo and State ofIndiana, have invented certain new and useful ImprovementsinTrench-Sheeting, of which the following is a specification.

In the digging of trenches for the construction of sewers, foundations,and-the like it is necessary when the trenches are deep to profor. theside walls to prevent caving,-and such sheeting is ordinarily composedof vertical strips driven vertically along the sides of the trench.Where the trench is very deep, the sheeting must be put in in sections,and consequently the upperwidth of the trench must be very considerablygreater than is necessary for the actual construction to be placed-onthe bottom of the trench.

The object ofmy present invention is to produce a sheeting-supportofsuch character that the sheeting may bevery readily placed in positionwithout the necessity of driving, the constructionbeing such that the.trench may be either narrowed or widened at the bottom and also beingsuch that it canbe used in very soft ground.

The accompanying drawings illustrate my invention.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a trench provided with my improvedsheeting; Fig. 2, a vertical section showing atrenchwidened at thebottom by the.use of my sheeting Fig. 3, a similar view showing thetrench narrowed at the bottom; Fig. 4, a similar view showing a modifiedform of post-section for use in very soft ground, and Fig. 5 aperspective view of a convenient form of post-section.

In the drawings, 10 indicates a supporting post-section or hangerprovided at opposite vertical edges with grooves 11, which are widenedat one end to form open mouths 11 to permit insertion of the sheeting.Each post 10 is provided on its back or outer face with a hook 12 at oneend and an eye 13 at the other end, the arrangement being such that thehook 12 may be received in the eye 13 of another postsection, so as toform a continuous member or sheeting guide the sections of which may beplaced at any desired angle. The grooves 11 are adapted to receive theends of horizontal sheeting-strips 14, which may be of any convenientlength and width.

The post-sections and sheeting may be of Specification of LettersPatent.

1906. Serial 110.306.1125.

any desired dimensions; but inpractice I find it convenient to makethe-post-sections from three to four sheeting sections from SIX toeight,feet in length, their width being-analiquotpart of" Theinner face,ofeachpostesection is provided witha the length of the post-sections.

feet in length and the.

Patented J an. 22, 1907.

suitable brace-support 15, adaptedtoforma.

rest or support for theend ofanydesi-rable sewer-brace 16.

In operation the trench is dug toa depth?- slightly inexcess of'thelength of oneof the I post-sections 10, and transverse braces 17 arethen-laid across the open mouthofthe trench. Each of .thesebracescarries ateach end an eye or hanger the hook 12 ofapost-section10, and one .ofthe. post-sections is eyes. The sheeting members 14 arethen in-. troduced in the adjacent pairs ofgrooves 11, and braces 16 areput in position. trenchis then lowerends of the first set,TWI'DIIPIOPGI' braces 16 placed in position. The sheeting members 14'arethen introduced between the new set of post-sections through the in:

11. This operation is repeated as often as necessary.

at any time, I find it convenient to-use a special post-section. (Shownin Fig. 4.) In this form the post-section 10 is provided on oppositevertical edges with sheeting-pock upper ends, so that sheeting membersmay be introduced successively as the excavation proceeds. When workingin very soft ground, the operators will dig a Wedge-shaped hole 25 atthe lower end of each post-section and introduce the new post 10 beforethe main portion of the excavation is made.

As shown in Fig. 2, it is possible by swinging the lower ends of thelower postsections outward to widen the lower portion of the trench withease, and in the same manner, as shown in Fig. 3, the trench may benarrowed at the bottom by swinging the lower ends of i the lowerpost-sections inward.

I claim as my invention 1. A post-section for trench-sheeting havingsheeting-receiving grooves formed in oposite edges thereof, and aninwardly-open mouth leading thereto.

18, adapted .to I receive 1 T he. dug another section deeper, andasecond set of post-sections hung totthe wardly-opening months .1 1 ofthegrooves- If the ground is too soft topermit thedighung in each ofthese ging of the trench a full post-section deeper.

ets 11", which have inwardly-inclined open 2. A post-section fortrench-sheeting having sheeting-receiving grooves formed in oppositeedges thereof, an inwardly open mouth leading thereto, and means carriedby the opposite ends of said post for interengagement with an adjacentpost.

3. A postsection for trench-sheeting having sheeting-engaging portionsalong the vertical sides with a receiving-mouth below the top thereof soarranged so as to permit introduction of sheeting from the inner face ofthe .post.

4. A post-section for trench-sheeting having sheeting-engaging portionsalong opposite edges thereof, and means carried at opposite ends of theposts for interengagement with a similar section end to end.

5. A trench-sheeting comprising a plurality of post-sections, eachhaving sheeting-engaging portions along opposite edges and means atopposite enos by which they may be connected in vertical series; and aplurality of horizontal sheeting members adapted to bridge the spacebetween adjacent vertical series of post-sections.

' 6. A trench-sheeting comprising a plurality of post-sections, eachhaving sheeting-receiving means capable of receiving sheeting fromopposite sides, and means at opposite ends by which they may beconnected in vertical series; and a plurality of horizontal sheetingmembers adapted to bridge the spaces between adjacent vertical series ofpostsections. V

7. A trench-sheeting comprising a plurality of post-sections, meanscarried by each post-section for. successive endwise engagement withanother, a plurality of sheeting members, and means carried by thepost-sections for engaging the ends of sheeting members.

8. A trench-sheeting comprising a plurality of post-sections, meanscarried by each post-section for successive endwise engagement withanother, a plurality of sheeting members, means carried by thepost-sections for engaging the ends of sheeting members, said meansbeing such as to permit the placing of sheeting members at pointsintermediate the total length of a series, of post-sections.

9. A post-section for trench-sheeting having a series ofvertically-arranged inwardlyopening sheeting-pockets for the receptionof sheeting members.

10. A post-section for trench-sheeting having a series ofsheeting-pockets for the reception of sheeting members, and meanscarried by the ends of each post-section for endwise connection withanother post-section.

l l. A trench-sheeting comprising a plurality of vertical series ofpost-sections detachably connectible by hinge connections, andhorizontal sheeting members engaging adja cent vertical series ofpost-sections and bridging the space therebetween.

12. A trench-sheeting comprising a plurality of vertical series ofpost-sections detachably connectible by hin e connections, andhorizontal sheeting memIaers engaging adj acent vertical series ofpost-sections and bridging the space therebetween, the engagementbetween the post-sections and sheeting members being such as to permitapplication of sheeting members at points intermediate the total lengthof a series of post-sections.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal, atIndianapolis, Indiana, this 12th day of March, A. D. 1906.

ALBERT W. FITZGERALD. [L 8.]

